Do you guys give up in domaining yet? Or are you thirsty for more?

[Arief WN]

I see some members here are giving up in domaining.
Is domaining really that hard? Or have they just found something cooler to do?

Guys, I'm giving up domaining.
I have enjoyed posting here and meeting friends, but the time has come for me to move on.
I wish everyone all the best and good luck in their domaining venture.
Cheers guys!

I quit domaining and didn't reg a domain name since a year
...

 

[tpruby]

I quit years and years ago. Domaining still presents as mildly interesting to me, but I'm certain the only people making money domaining ( with rare exceptions)...are those who sell the names.

I lost what I could afford ( like gambling) and simply moved on without bitterness.

Lastly, the time and effort required to manage these domains was unsustainable for me.

Today, my money goes towards blue chip stocks and I'm no longer interested in hitting a home run.

Slow and steady...

---------- Post added at 02:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:01 PM ----------

You don't need a domain, unless you are business (even a small business). A youtube channel is an extra communication tool, not a replacement for a domain name.
Why should you get a domain ?

• more professional
• more control
• E-mail addresses
• better SEO
• ...

I mean, you could use a free subdomain under blogger or whatever but it's not very smart to put your business presence where you do not control it :gl:

In Canada, small businesses are all on the web and most of them have foregone trying to buy premium names and instead, string together various words and are happy with that.

The evidence is all around me. Small business, the very back bone of every Western economy, usually has no interest in expanding Nationally or internationally, so they don't give a damn if there name is JasonsReginaPlumbing.ca, instead of JRP.ca.

They also know that if someone Googles ' Plumbing in regina' they're going to be near the top of the search finds.

It is that very reason that I disagree entirely that small business, as a rule, is interested in obtaining the very best domain name.

Why would they pay $xxxx, when they can pay reg fee and still have a solid web presence?

This isn't just my opinion, it is all around me, every single day I step out into the city and see web sites plastered all over vehicles, store fronts and on billboards.

Those web names are usually strings of words, which scream ' hand regged' and guess what, they don't lose business because they don't have a domain name bought at a premium.

I suppose the sales job is to convince Jason that his plumbing business would benefit from buying JRP.ca, but that is without question, an absolute uphill battle.

 

[garptrader]

Yes, plenty of reg fee quality domains are being used by small businesses, on tv ads and even by Hollywood to promote movies with multi-million dollar production budgets. I currently work in what is rated as the city with the highest obesity rate in the US. But does that mean the personal trainers in the city are booming with business? Ask yourself why not - because the scores of potential buyers just don't care.

 

[Arief WN]

I've just received an offer from GD via SedoMLS.
It's kinda weird, because neither my SedoMLS is activated nor my registrar is in the SedoMLS network.

But I think it's a good sign that we should not give up in domaining, yet.

 

[MicroGuy]

I see some members here are giving up in domaining.
Is domaining really that hard? Or have they just found something cooler to do?

I think the ever increasing difficulty level at reaching consistent profitability in this business has begun to alienate all but the most strident of upstream swimmers.

 

[NetOctave]

I'm still going strong but with a drastically different approach.
I'm concentrating more on developing the domain names. Even a minisite could bring better revenue if you choose the products correct and concentrate away from PPC type of monetisations..
Still buying names, but names are more of the kinds that can be developed.

 

[Arief WN]

I think scammers made him giving up... :blink:

...
I've pretty much stopped with domaining,
mostly because spammers and scammers have made it too difficult for a guy like me to sell anything.
They're the bane of the industry.

I'm happy to hear of members getting 4-figure sales but let's be realistic:
For every $x,xxx sale, there are 300,000 sales of $50 or less.
(Hyperbole but you get the idea)

Assholes simply made it near impossible for some sellers to turn a profit.

 

[Arief WN]

Domaining is indeed hard for me, but I kinda like this new hobby.
So I think I'll keep doing it.

 

[NLP]

I've had more offers (and traffic) in the last 3 months than the last half of 2012, so I'd say there's still plenty of opportunity to be had. Those offers were on 1 brandable .TV, a couple of .COs (one of which sold on Afternic via GD for $2k), one 3-word .com, and an "app" related 2-word .com, which was sold via GoDaddy/Sedo a few weeks ago for $2250.

All of these names are ones I've held for at least 2 years, so I'm rather glad I never gave up. I keep getting offers on names I DID drop, which I keep kicking myself for. But they were subpar names, and my portfolio is a much more manageable size now.

It's a hobby/side business for me. I don't develop much - most of my sales are passive - but I have 2-3 specific names I plan on developing this year.

For me, domaining is too fun to quit. And I enjoy the people and personalities in the industry. I read the blogs whenever I have time. Then I disappear for few weeks or months when things get busy in my "other" life, but I'm always keeping an eye out for good names, and domain-related news.

 

[hopkism]

I mostly gave up within a year of starting. However, that is due in large part to finding better success in developing of domain names. I could not figure out for the life of me which names were winners and losers, not being able to afford picking up obvious winners. So I started developing some average names and have since established several money making websites. They cover all of their costs, make me some extra cash and require minimum time. Of course, it took me almost the better part of 6 months to figure out what I was doing.

Today in domaining, I only register names using the $1 discount codes. I have a list of names I would want or think are winners in the .com. When the code is available I register them. That usually ends up being about 2 names a month. If I cannot sell them or develop them, at the most that's $24 a year lost. To me that is reasonable risk. Some I have sold with little effort in the high $xx to low $xxx. It's not as lucrative as developing but, is a way of diversifying income.

 

[Havela]

For me, domaining is too fun to quit. And I enjoy the people and personalities in the industry. I read the blogs whenever I have time. Then I disappear for few weeks or months when things get busy in my "other" life, but I'm always keeping an eye out for good names, and domain-related news.

Second that.

 

[fizbac]

Oh Man, do not crying! Please try to learn then be successful domainer. I like to buy and sale natural domains only, i have great history in domain selling and made $299k for sold 5 domains. So..think stay learning...Good luck... finn no

 

[Kate]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDuW3NvjqJY"]The Sisters of Mercy -- More - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Arief WN]

Dare to share the names? :gl:

...i have great history in domain selling and made $299k for sold 5 domains....

 

[4pm]

dare to share the names?

+1

*

 

[Havela]

+1

+2

Actually, you don't have to share them all - just one or two of these "natural" names will suffice.

 

[twomoon]

It was never easy for me - but always gave me many positive emotions.
Plus I think that the process of buying / registering domains is more interesting than the process of selling. So, I'm still in

 

[Spade]

Im not as active a domainer as I used to be. However, I sit and remain patient on my pile of a few hundred domains. I sell a few per year and acquire hand regs from time to time.

 

[Fingerpod]

It's hard, but I enjoy it.